Assig



(No Model.)

' G. s. MAXWELL.

ELECTRIC CONTACT BREAKER.

No. 313,605. v Patented Mar. 10, 1885 WIN/5555. wavy/70R I? W i Unites TATES ATFNT Orrrbn.

GEORGE SEYMOUR MAXWELL, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ORESSEY METER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC CONTACT-BREAKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.3l3,605, dated March 10, 18185.

Application filed April 17, 1884. (No model.)

To azz whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE SEYMOUR MAX- WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Electric Contact-Breaker, for applying to electric registers used to measure water, gas, or other liquids or gases, of which the following is a specification. to My invention relates to electric contactbreakers in which a perfect insulation from dampness is secured, in which the circuit is never closed for more than an instant at a time, andin the manner of operating and protecting said break-piece. I attain these objects by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional view of the cover and cap of a WVort-hingtou meter, and shows the mode of attaching and operating the insulating'cup which contains the contact-breaker. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the insulating-cup,and shows the arrangement of the contacts and breakpiece and mode of insulation.

:5 Fig. 3 is a top view of the primary cap, and shows the position of the lug-wheel for tipping the insulating-cup from side to side. Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the same cap, and shows the manner in which the motion is transmitted to 0 the shaft that carries the lug-wheel.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The oscillating ball A, the springs B and B, contact-points e and e, insulating-cup 0, cap

5 E, insulating compound D, and platef constitute the contaetbreaker and insulator proper. In addition to this, it is necessary to furnish means to operate the contact-breaker. The collar and shaft P,having on its lower end the 40 lugs 01 cl, is hinged or pinioned to a stirrup, I, in such a manner that it is free to oscillate from side to side. In the collarP the insulating-cup 0, containing the contact-breaker, is set, and is held in the desired position by the 5 set-screw 9. On the sides of the stirrup I are lugs a a, for limiting the length of the oscillations of the collar P. Running through the cap G, and having bearings in the stirrup I and hanger J, is a valverod, M, having on it- 5:) self a taper, L, which acts as a valve and closes the opening in the plate G whenever the cap or hood F is taken off for the purpose of examining the machine.

On the upper end of the rod M, and underneath the stirrup I, is a wheel, N, having on its face a lug, b, that works between the lugs d cl of the collar-rod P, and causes it to tip as the wheel N moves from side to side.

On the bottom part of the rod M is a piece, K, which is attached to an oscillating arm, 0, that is worked by the piston or other movable part of the meter.

When the meter operates, it transmits an oscillating motion to the rod 0, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 4. This transmits its motion through the piece K and rod M to the wheel N, and causes the lug b on its face to come alternately in contact with the lugs at (Z on the collar-shaft P, and causes it to tip from side to side. As it tips, the ball A is thrown from side to side and makes and breaks the circuit. When the ball A is resting on either side, the spring B or B, corresponding to the side on which the ball lies, is pressed away from its contact-point e or e and the circuit is open; but when the ball is in the center of its tip or fall it has no bearing on the springs B and B, and they by their elasticity bear against the contactpoints e and e,au(l the current is completed for an instant, and is again broken as the ball A falls to the side. The conducting-piece B B may be attached to and carried by the weight A as it oscillates, or said weight, being made of proper conducting material, may be arranged to itself complete for an 8 5 instant the circuit between the pointse e as it oscillates, either of these methods being obviously equivalent to that illustrated for effecting the making and breaking of the circuit by the shifting weight A.

On the inside of the cap E, and resting on the cup 0, is a thin sheet of hard-rubber insulation, f, in which the contactpoints e and e are fastened.

When the pieces in the cup 0 are all prop- 95 erly fastened and arranged, the cap E is filled with a hot melted mixture of gutta-percha, 7 rubber, pitch, shellac, and oil, and is immediately screwed down onto the cup O, thus forming a perfectly insulated water-tight joint. rco This break-piece is intended to be attached to any style of electric register.

When the apparatus is attached to the meter, the cap F is screwed on water-tight,thereby preventing the water that seeps through the valve-opening in plate G from flooding the building in which the meter is placed. Should such leakage occur, the compression of the air contained in the cap F would react on the water and keep it from rising to the top of the insulating-cup 0, thereby securing greater protection to the contact-points in said cup.

I am aware that prior to this application electric contact-breakers were made to form a connection in a meter under water; but they proved ineffective, first, by reason of the solids contained in the water being deposited 011 the points of contact, thereby preventing perfeet connections; second, the water being a conductor, the current was constantly wasting; and, third, the meter was liable to stop in such a position that the circuit was closed and the battery would rapidly lose its strength. In addition to this, the points of contact being inclosed in the meter-case proper, it became necessary to stop the action of the meter whenever it was necessary to examine the contacts. I therefore do not claim it, broadly.

WVhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric contact-breaker, the combination, with two contact-points, of a pivoted weight, a conducting-piece extending from one contact-point to the other and adapted to be operated by said weight, and devices operated by a meter or other source of power for moving the pivot of the weight, thereby causing the latter to oscillate and operate said conducting-piece relative to the contact-points, substantially as set forth.

2. An oscillating ball or break-piece, A, in combination with the springs B B and contact points or wires 6 e, for breaking and renewing a circuit in such a manner that the circuit can never remain closed for more than an instant at a time, as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with a case containing electrical conductors adapted to be connected or interrupted by'the oscillation of the case, of the collar and shaft P, having on its lower end the lugs a a, and the lug-wheel N, for bold ing and transmitting to the said case an oscillating motion, as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with a case containing electrical conductors adapted to be connected or interrupted by the oscillation of the case, of

the wheel N, having on its face the lug Z2, engaging the lugs d d on collar-shaft P, and the valve-rod M, rock-piece K, andoscillating rod 0, for transmitting to said collar-shaft P, and through it to said case, an oscillating motion, for the purpose of breaking and renewing a circuit, as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

5. In an electric contact-breaker, the combination, with two contact-points, of a pivoted Weight for making and breaking the circuit between said points, and a hermetically-sealed casing inclosing the contact-points and weight and carrying the pivot of the latter, whereby the circuit may be made or broken by moving the casing, substantially as set forth.

6. In an electric contact-breaker, the combination, with the contact-points, the conductors leading thereto, aswinging weight, and a conducting-piece between said points operated by the weight, of a surrounding cup or casing carrying the pivot of the weight, whereby the making and breaking of the circuit may be effected by moving said casing bodily, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with a meter, of an electrical contact-breaker situated outside of the meter-casing, devices whereby the meter .may operate said breaker, a removable case inclosing the breaker, and the valveL between said meter and space inclosed by the removable casing, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with a meter-case, of a bell-shaped hood attached thereto, an electric contact-breaker, and devices extending from within the meter to operate said breaker, the breaker'being situated within the hood, whereby any leakage of water from within the meter through the aperture through which said operating devices pass is prevented from rising in the hood to reach said breaker by the compressed air in the hood, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE SEYMOUR MAXWELL.

WVitnesses:

BURTON VANCE, BLAND BALLARD. 

